Farms in Oldhamp are spread around the world. People from Australia, South Africa and the United States follow the digital route through the grain republic

“We are surprised that so many people are interested in the farms in Oldhamp,” says Harm Everd Valkens, president of the De Klerk-Mellema Foundation, which maintains the website www.boerderijenboekoldambt.nl.

The book is sold out and no longer available

The foundation published the book Farms and their inhabitants . The book contains photographs of over 220 farms in Oldhamp, the history of Oldhamp, stories about the farms and their residents. The last version is from 1999. The book is no longer available.

At the turn of the century, the Foundation's board took the decision to use the 'digital highway'. “Reprinting the book is very expensive. Our own website provides an opportunity to publish new information regularly. Now we notice that the interest is high. But we want to stay up-to-date, so we look for new information.

The Foundation has something unique on its hands

Over two hundred letters have been sent to owners of farms in Oldhamp. First reactions and additional information have already been received. “These are the addresses on the site. We ask if people are willing to provide data that we can process on the site. According to Valkens, the foundation has something unique. “As far as we know, this is the only book available digitally.”

Website visitors come from all over the world. “These are people who once lived in Oldhamp or owned a farm. They're definitely interested in the current state of farms. Call it nostalgia, curiosity. The truth is, there's a lot of interest in farms in Oldhamp.

Such a digital time-travel through Oldhamp and especially the farms enables an official route by car or bicycle. Has the ANWB been contacted yet? Walkens laughs. “We will focus on this digital project first.”

The foundation is also the manager of the “Kelle Tikkat” on the route between Riederwolderpolder and Karel Konrad Polder.